A NEW Marine Rescue NSW offshore rescue vessel was officially commissioned at Crowdy Harrington on Saturday, representing a $370,000 investment in boating safety on the NSW Mid North Coast.
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Crowdy 30 is one of two identical new vessels to be welcomed to the Marine Rescue NSW fleet on the Mid North Coast.
Marine Rescue Coffs Harbour and Marine Rescue Crowdy Harrington both took delivery of new 9.5m Naiad Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats in late 2014.
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos and Board members joined Crowdy Harrington unit members for the commissioning ceremony at 10am on Saturday at Crowdy Head Harbour.
Commissioner Tannos said the new vessels were a significant boost in the capability of marine search and rescue volunteers on the Mid North Coast.
"These state-of-the-art vessels, which are able to travel up to 30 nautical miles offshore, further strengthen Marine Rescue's strategic search and rescue safety net covering the NSW coastline," he said.
"They are among 61 new and refurbished vessels delivered to date in our $14.3 million fleet modernisation program. Built by Yamba Welding and Engineering, they also are a valuable investment in local business and jobs in Northern NSW."
MR Crowdy Harrington Unit Commander Keith Richardson said Crowdy 30, the unit's primary offshore rescue vessel, represented a major advance in the unit's capability.
"This new boat is our primary offshore rescue vessel, joining Crowdy 20, a 6.5m Naiad RHIB, which will now provide a rapid response to incidents on the Manning River, and assist us in our training program," UC Keith Richardson said.
"Crowdy 30 is a tremendous boost to our resources, giving us greater range, power and towing capacity, especially when we're responding offshore. It's a powerful, stable and safe vessel for our volunteers, so our crews can respond more efficiently than ever to help boaters in trouble."
Both new Mid North Coast boats are powered by twin 250hp Suzuki engines and can reach speeds above 40 knots (74kmph).
Search and rescue equipment installed on MRNSW vessels includes Raymarine navigation and radar, Sailor VHF, GME 27 Mhz and DCN marine radios, Furuno AIS (Automatic Identification System) and FLIR thermal imaging camera, along with advanced first aid equipment including cardiac defibrillator and oxygen.
UC Keith Richardson thanked the local community and visiting boaters for supporting the volunteers' fundraising efforts.
Boaters heading out on the water should remember to log on with MRNSW using their marine radio, telephone or via the MarineRescue mobile app, suitable for Apple and Android devices and available on the App Store and Google play.
